Though it's hardly a morale booster, losing their spots on the Infotech 100 may have been the least of their concerns for Dell and SAP.

The list interests us because because it appears to be a pretty accurate barometer of tech trends.

Globalization? Check, with six of the top 10 companies based in countries other than the U.S. The strength of consumer vs. enterprise tech? Check, with Amazon in the top spot and Nintendo at No. 8. The growing power of telecoms? Half of the top 20 companies fit the bill.